


Home Is Where The Heart Is

by bjfic_archivist



Category: Queer as Folk (US)
Genre: Canon, No Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-07-24
Updated: 2003-09-20
Packaged: 2018-12-27 09:14:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12078084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bjfic_archivist/pseuds/bjfic_archivist
Summary: Justin moves in with Melanie and Lindsay after drawing his own conclusions about Brian.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Note from IrishCaelan, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [The Brian/Justin Fanfiction Archive](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Brian_Justin_Fanfiction_Archive). To preserve the archive, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in September 2017. I posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [The Brian/Justin Fanfiction Archive collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/bjfic/profile).

“He’s going to get an extra special kick, later.”

Justin winced faintly and shifted his gaze around the kitchen. He had to admit, it did look like shit. But he had planned on cleaning it up before Brian got home. Truth be told, he wasn’t even sure Brian was even going to come home that night. Glancing up, he grimaced and let his shoulders slump a little. Neither of those facts would probably make any difference to the angered ad executive standing in front of him.

The rest of the conversation passed on deaf ears as the blonde retracted more into himself. Brian was angry and now he was pushing Justin away again. The young artist questioned whether Brian would really trick in front of him, but stopped the thought and gazed at the now cool Jambalaya. This was Brian Kinney. Of course he would fucking trick in front of him. It was stupid to even question that.

“Maybe we could have some of this after?” Justin smiled up at Hotlanta weakly. After? The teen didn’t think he’d be there after Brian was done fucking the guys brains out. Azure locked with hazel and he opened his mouth to say something, but stopped. What could he say? Nothing would make Brain defer all his attention away from the man that was now stripping in front of him. But the young artist stood firm. He wasn’t going to let the older man push him away. Not without a fight. 

He fidgeted a bit, but kept his eyes locked on Brian, intent on keeping his hazel eyes glued on blue. But as Hotlanta descended and Brian rolled his eyes shut, Justin couldn’t watch anymore. He felt sick, nauseated, and bile was rising into his throat. He’d prepared himself for this, thought he could handle it. But actually witnessing it now…he couldn’t take it. Without a word, Justin tore his eyes away from Brian and streaked towards the door, fumbling with his shoes and blindly grasping for the door at the same time. He felt like he was suffocating, like he’d been struck in the face. Was he really that much trouble? Did Brian really hate him so much? 

‘He must,’ Justin concluded painfully, taking the stairs as fast as he could. ‘I would hate myself too, if I were him.’ The thought made his head (and heart) hurt more than he would have liked, and as he reached the building door, he was racked with a wave of lightheadedness. His father had nearly killed Brian, he was taking advantage of his home, and his mother had probably done little to help Brian’s growing frustration.

‘We’re not together,’ Justin’s face contorted in pain as Brian’s words struck him again. As he trudged down the street, his feet started to feel heavy, his head full of haze. ‘…Given me the worst headache in my life.’ That was all he was to Brian. A headache, a quick fuck. Justin was reeling. He’d never felt so rejected in all his life. It hurt to breathe, and it hurt to think about the man that had pushed him to the side, which was even more trouble because all he could think about was Brian. 

That was it. Bending over, Justin vomited, too sick with thinking Brian didn’t care to realize that other people were watching him. There was a hand on his back, but he jumped away from it, and haphazardly pushed his way down the street, not knowing where to go. The place he’d thought of as home wasn’t accepting him and now, the place he’d always like to be home hurt too much to think about. He didn’t know anyone else to turn to. Tears had started running down his cheeks as he’d thrown up his despair, and now, they flowed freely. He wasn’t going to stop them, and, if he’d tried, he probably would have failed. He felt his heart break all over again and cursed himself. Brian had pushed him away before, so why did it hurt so much now?

Before he’d realized it, he was knocking on Melanie and Lindsay’s front door. A light came on from inside and he leaned against the wall for support, sweat matting his brow and tears still fresh on his reddened cheeks. Lindsay answered the door and he gave her a shaky smile, trying to calm her anxiety. At least she was worried about him.

“Do you…do you mind if I stay on your couch tonight?” He asked in a rough whisper, trying to catch his breath. A cry from upstairs alerted him to Gus waking up and he smiled apologetically. She turned from his hesitantly, glancing up the stairs, and by the time she’d turn back around, Justin was already out of the front yard. Lindsay dashed after him in her slippers, pulling her robe around herself tighter before reaching for his arm. He stopped, but did not turn around. Great. Now he’d woken up the baby and made her come outside in the middle of the night. In her pajamas no less. He was just screwing up everyone’s lives now.

“Justin, come back inside and tell me what’s wrong.” Lindsay stated softly, tugging the boy back toward the house gently. He shook his head vigorously making a move to start forward again, but she stopped him with her other arm. “You can stay on the couch,” She offered, and smiled for the briefest moment when that seemed to catch his attention. The boy’s stomach gave a loud rumble and she couldn’t help but giggle quietly, taking his arm in hers and turning him around. “And I’ll make you something to eat. Cookies? With Hot Cocoa?” Justin hesitated for a moment more, but nodded reluctantly, and the two made their way back inside the house. 

Melanie was waiting for them when they entered, cradling a sniffling Gus in her arms as she shifted her gaze to each with worry. Justin whispered an apology that was nearly audible, but Melanie waved him off with a quick kiss to the cheek before heading back upstairs to put Gus back down for bed. Lindsay shuffled into the kitchen, keeping her word and pulling out some packs for hot chocolate. Rubbing his face, Justin finally took note of the disgusting taste he still had in his mouth, and was relieved when Lindsay set a glass of water down in front of him, saying something along the lines of, “you look a little dehydrated”. 

“What happened, baby?” Melanie inquired when she re-entered the kitchen and took a seat next to Justin. Could he really tell them? He decided he owed them as much, since they were letting him stay there. But did he really want to get into all those feelings again? Did he really want to think about what had caused him to flee his new home? He’d keep it short and sweet. The elegant blonde that had been bustling about the kitchen smiled in understanding and set the cup of cocoa in front of him, silently urging him to take his time. He stirred the drink a few times, watching the chocolate drink become a work of art all on it’s own, the colors dancing together as he twisted their tango in circular arcs. 

“…Brian had a…he had someone over. I didn’t want to-“ He stopped, biting his lip. “I didn’t want to be there.” Now that he heard it out loud, he realized how selfish that was of him. Now he was taking their hospitality for granted as well. He shut his eyes, waiting for one of them to tell him to get the fuck out, but it never came. Instead, both women placed comforting hands on his shoulder and whispered comforting words in his ear. Hearing them, knowing that these two really cared, broke him down and he couldn’t hold back his pain, his anguish anymore. He let it all flow free as Lindsay rocked him in her arms and Melanie held his hand, rubbing the back of it lightly with her thumb. It was finally starting to sink in; Brian Kinney hated him. All his attempts to gain the other man’s affection, or at the least, his friendship, had backfired and been thrown in his face. He was nothing. Nothing at all. 

When he’d calmed down a bit, Lindsay and Melanie left him on the couch with a comforter and a teddy bear, telling them it always helped Gus when he was feeling ill. He lay away, staring at the white fluff in his hand as he blinked back his remaining tears. Justin sighed heavily, clutching the bear to his chest before rolling onto his side. He could hear voices upstairs, meaning Lindsay and Melanie were still up, and a whole new surge of guilt rushed through him. He’d apologize profusely in the morning, maybe volunteer to baby-sit for a month, no charge.

Despite all his confusion, he was certain of one thing: he wasn’t going back to Brian’s. At least, not when the other man was there. He’d get his stuff tomorrow, when Brian was at work and then that would be it. He was tired or being used as the back-up fuck, of always being pushed to the side, or Brian being so resentful toward him. He honestly hadn’t meant to cause him so much trouble. But things had just turned out completely fucked. 

The smell of pancakes and bacon met him as his azure eyes fluttered open the next morning. Turning his head, he caught Melanie and Lindsay finishing a kiss and had to smile. “Morning Justin.” Lindsay called, slipping Melanie’s hands down and sheepishly turning to the blonde on the couch. “How did you sleep?”

“Fine. It’s a little lumpy.” 

Lindsay smiled sadly at her fellow artist and moved to sit next to him on the couch. When the boy started to apologize again, she silenced him and wrapped an arm around his shoulder. She and Melanie had been up a good 3 hours discussing the situation and she smiled at her lover who now sat on the other side of Justin. Giving his shoulder a reassuring squeeze, she nodded at Melanie, before removing her arm and placing both her hands in her lap, smile still in place.

“Justin, we want you to know that you can always come to us for help. No matter what.” Melanie started, placing a hand on the boy’s knee and making sure that he was looking her in the eye. “You don’t have to be sorry about last night, because it wasn’t your fault. If anyone’s to blame it’s-“ Lindsay shot her lover a warning look, shaking her head and Melanie ran an annoyed hand through her short, raven hair. Right, no Brian. Despite how much she wanted to rant and rave about the idiocy of her son’s father, she bit her tongue and continued, as if nothing had happened. “But we were thinking, being in the situation that you’re in-“ A pause, then a nod from Lindsay. “That maybe you’d like to just move in here.”

“With you guys?”

Lindsay laughed a little at Justin’s surprise, but took up the lead, leaning forward a little so she could catch his eyes. “Yes, here, with us and Gus.” The young boy sputtered a few minutes, shocked and speechless. But…that would be a burden to them! He’d be in their way, just like he had been at Brian’s.

“But I’d be in your way! It would be so much trouble for you guys!” He stated, shaking his head and staring at the ground. As much as he didn’t want to go back to Brian’s loft, he definitely did not want to intrude on any more people. He wanted to keep at least some of the friends he’d made. 

“Oh, no,” Lindsay cooed, shaking her head and placing a hand on his blonde hair. “Really, it’s no trouble at all. We were thinking of renovating the attic, so that’s where you would stay-“

“But not until it’s done of course,” Melanie put in, smiling brightly at the two people next to her. “You’d have to suffer on the lumpy couch until it was done.” 

Justin couldn’t speak, couldn’t think. Melanie and Lindsay wanted him to stay? With them and Gus? He wasn’t going to be a burden? He felt the tears welling up in his eyes again, but blinked them back. But he couldn’t stay here for free! He had to do something for them to make up for their kindness and friendship.

“I’ll stay, if you let me baby-sit Gus for free for the rest of the time I stay here,” He stated softly with a small smile, “And I’ll need to get a job so I can get some things for my new room. And you have to let me help around the house.” With his agreement in place, the girls beamed and threw their arms around their new Sunshine, nearly strangling him as they rocked him back in forth in their vice-like grip. “Is that a deal?” Justin croaked out, gasping for breath when they finally let go. 

“Deal.” 

“Wait,” Justin started, pulling away hesitantly so he could keep his hold on the two women, but still look them in the eye, “What about…Brian?” Of course Brian would be over. Gus was his son, Lindsay one of his closest friends. The boy paled considerably. He wasn’t ready to see the ad exec just yet. He was afraid that if he did, he’d feel that sick rejection in his stomach all over again. And Brian would probably be mad, knowing that Justin, someone he seemed to despise, was spending so much time with his son. The blonde’s gaze lowered and he dropped his hold on Melanie and Lindsay. He couldn’t see Brian. Not until some time had passed and he was sure he could deal with the other man’s rejection of him. 

“Fuck him. He doesn’t live here, now. You do.” Melanie replied bluntly, taking Justin into her arms. Son or no son, it was true. Brian didn’t live there and she swore to herself, if possible, she wouldn’t let Brian hurt Justin again. To Justin’s surprise, Lindsay agreed, though not in such harsh words and told Justin he didn’t have anything to worry about. Brian hardly came by as it was. He’d very rarely, if at all, see him.

“Can we not tell anyone? At least, not for now?” Justin asked softly, eyes back on the floor. Sure, he’d tell his mom, and probably Daphne, but they never talked to any of the Liberty Diner Gang and he was certain that, with just them knowing, there was no way Brian could know he was there.

“You really don’t want to see him?” It was a stupid question, this Lindsay knew, but she couldn’t help but ask. She had thought that Brian was getting somewhere with Justin. That her friend was actually starting to open up to someone. It hurt to know that she had been wrong in her assumption about Brian and Justin’s relationship, mainly because she still felt that it could work. When Justin shook his head, she sighed, but nodded and smiled. “Then no one will know. Not until you’re ready.” 

“Thank you so much, guys. I…I don’t know how I can thank you…”

“You could wash my car,” Melanie replied playfully, pulling Justin up and toward the table, “But that’ll have to wait until after we eat breakfast.” Sitting Justin in on of the chairs, she placed a plate of food in front of him before wrapping an arm around Lindsay’s waist and maneuvering to the other side of the table with her lover. The couple smiled at the teen from across the table and raised their glasses, ceremoniously, a few giggles of excitement escaping their lips.

“Welcome home, baby.”


	2. Home Is Where The Heart Is

Cynthia didn’t need to look up to tell her boss was in a foul mood. The sharp slam of the door behind him was all the proof she’d needed. She closed the appointment book quickly, grabbing the cup of coffee that she’d prepared for Brian and walked to the door, opening it without hesitation and striding over to his desk. 

“Would you fucking knock next time?” 

The blonde let his rudeness slide and slid into a chair in front of him, crossing her legs to get comfortable as she passed Brian his coffee and he accepted it gratefully. She reopened the black book in her lap and shifted through the pages, allowing her boss to collect himself before they went over the morning’s (and more than likely, last night’s) events. It didn’t take long before she had her signal that he was ready; Brian downed his coffee in one gulp and leaned back in his chair, folding his hands in front of him and putting on the cool and collected look he had mastered so long ago. Cynthia smiled a bit and the ad exec raised an eyebrow, wondering what had put his assistant in such a good mood. It was 9 in the fucking morning. There couldn’t be that much gossip already.

“Someone was up late last night,” His assistant commented and Brian instantly hardened himself. He didn’t want to talk about last night right now, especially not with her. A pang of guilt washed over him as a pair of hurt, baby blue eyes flashed in front of him. But he shook his head slightly, replacing the guilt with frustration. Fucking twat. He hadn’t been able to fully enjoy the blowjob Hotlanta was giving him because he’d been worried about the teen.

No, not worried. Brian Kinney didn’t do worried.

“Lindsay called earlier.” Cynthia stated absently, flipping through the many pages of her book after noticing her boss had gone slightly stiff. Shaking it off as sore muscles from his nightly bodily exertions, the blonde tapped her fingers idly on her book, resting her head in her hand as she leaned to the side and watched her boss with a slightly curious gaze. There was something different about his demeanor…she couldn’t quite tell what, but she was sure she’d find out sooner or later.

“Did she say what she wanted?”

“No,” She replied, shaking her head, still tapping her fingers, “but she mentioned that you probably wouldn’t be that concerned about it anyway, so I assumed it wasn’t about Gus.” He nodded, relaxing a little at this news and taking a gracious sip of his coffee. If it wasn’t something wrong with Gus, then it could wait until later. Nothing was more important right then. Again, the blue eyes flashed in his mind, but again, he pushed them out. He was going to fucking tear that kid a new one when he got home. Literally and figuratively.

“What’s so funny?” Cynthia asked, noticing his look. It was pretty early for Brian to be in such a good mood.

“Nothing.” He replied with a quick smile, ending the conversation and moving on to more pressing matters; like the meeting he had in only over an hour. He’d call Lindsay later. Or better yet, he’d go over to their house for dinner. Lindsay was always complaining he didn’t come over enough and he had to admit, he missed seeing his son.

\-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

“Justin, could you hand me that towel, please?” Lindsay asked, hands busy with the soapy dishes she was scrubbing as she nodded in the direction of the small, blue dishrag laying on the table behind her. The boy smiled, leaving his place on the floor next to Gus, and shifting to help her by doing the drying himself. The blonde woman smiled thankfully and started handing him clean plates.

“So,” She began, not sure where to start, “you’re sure you have everything you need?” Justin had come home a little late that day, taking a detour from school and heading over to the loft to collect his things while Brian was still at work. With Daphne’s help, he’d managed to shove all his belongings into the back of her car. It was funny, now that he thought about it. He hadn’t realized he had so many things over at Brian’s place to begin with.

“I got my duffel bag,” He grimaced, remembering the night Brian had come home and literally slung the heavy bag at him, “my school work, and all the other stuff I let clutter up the floor.” He couldn’t help the small grin that was inching across his face. At least he’d be doing Brian a favor in that sense; there wouldn’t be a lot to clean now.

Lindsay made a sound, but said nothing, scrubbing the dishes with a little sadness. She’d called Brian earlier to try and tell him about Justin, to make sure that the other man knew what a huge mistake he was making; but Brian hadn’t been in the office, or worse, wasn’t accepting his calls. Obviously, he didn’t find it an important issue. That thought made her narrow her eyes and she promised herself she would keep her word to Justin. Upon hearing the telephone ring, she wiped her hands on the dishrag and quickly grabbed the portable lying absently on the table.

“Hello?”

“Linds,” Brian replied into the line, “it’s me.” As if she didn’t know.

“Hey Bri,” She glanced at Justin, who had suddenly lost his smile. Biting her lower lip tentatively, she nudged him softly toward the other room so he could keep an eye on Gus, who was playing with Melanie’s shoestrings, “What’s up?”

“I’m coming over.” It was a statement. Brian was leaving no room for argument. But even knowing this, Lindsay couldn’t help the surprised, “Now?”, that escaped her lips as she cast worried glances at the blonde haired sunshine playing with her son. When Brian confirmed he would be there in 15 minutes, she quickly ended the conversation with him and rushed over to her partner’s side.

“Brian’s on his way here.” She stated, trying to ignore Justin’s sudden paleness as she watched Melanie. The lawyer frowned with displeasure, opening her mouth to say something rude about Brian when she felt Justin shift uncomfortably near her leg. She shut her mouth quickly and squeezed Lindsay’s shoulder, muttering something about getting the asshole out quickly. Within 5 minutes, she and Justin were on their way to the store to pick up some dessert and Lindsay was left to deal with the brunette that was causing a storm to take place in her family.

There was a knock on the door and she stood, picking up Gus, and headed over to it. There, on the other side of the door (tongue-in-cheek smirk fully in place) was Brian, leaning against the doorframe. The art teacher couldn’t help but laugh and handed her son over when Brian entered her home, nearly forgetting the things she needed to say to him.

“You could have called in advance Brian. Let us know you were coming tonight.” He didn’t seem all that interested in her speaking anymore, and was instead fully engrossed in his son, smiling as he tickled, spun, and flipped the boy in his arms. This caused her to flush a little and she became a little aggravated. He was ignoring her, just as he had done before. Did he value her friendship so little? She knew that was a wrong assumption, but even still, it still upset her. 

“Brian, are you listening?” She questioned gently, but firmly, trying to gauge his attention. He was so distracted, more than she had ever seen him. Was something wrong? Had something happened at work? “What’s wrong?” She quietly asked, noticing he was still dressed in his work clothes. He shook his head nothing, but being the good friend she was, she knew better. Pushing him softly, she was finally able to get him to make eye contact, and for that brief moment, she saw a flash of something foreign in those hazel orbs. But what? Fear? Sadness? Maybe a little regret? She seemed a little taken aback. She hadn’t once in the years knowing the ad exec, seen those emotions in him.

“I got home today,” He started, clearing his throat as he sat Gus down on the floor in between them, “And found my loft empty.” He tried to say it as evenly as possible without seeming too vulnerable. He didn’t want her to know how much he was hurting. Coming home to an empty loft, with no loud music playing, and no blue-eyed, blonde-haired twinkie to greet him felt hollow. He hadn’t expected himself to feel this way once Justin actually left…and now that he had…well, he just didn’t know what to think. It was confusing. But Lindsay said nothing, so he just continued speaking, after taking a moment to collect himself. 

“It’s just as well,” He stated with a shrug, slipping back into the ‘I-don’t-give-a-fuck’ attitude and patting his son on the head, “He was driving me insane. I was starting to wonder if he’d ever leave.” He didn’t mean that, he really didn’t! His mind was screaming. He noticed Lindsay become rigid, but didn’t say anything. His mind was screaming for letting his mouth go off without thought and his heart was wailing in his chest. 

Damnit. Why, the fuck, was some blonde teen affecting him so much?!

The worst part was; he had no idea what had happened to Justin. There was no way for him to tell if the other boy was safe or not. He could always assume that was the case. He could try and convince himself that Justin was fine, safe at home, having made-up with his family. That thought angered him a little, realizing Justin must have conformed to his father’s rules, but he swallowed and forced himself to keep from reacting outwardly. At least that meant the kid was safe. 

“You don’t really mean that.”

He glanced up quickly at Lindsay, her soft statement surprising him a little, though his face was a mask of indifference. He had to be careful around her. She could always read him too well. So he shrugged and raised an eyebrow, silently asking her if she was serious. “No, I can’t stop thinking about him and all I want to do is go out and find him.” Brian rolled his eyes at her, dripping sarcasm onto his words to hide the fact that it was the truth. That **was** all he wanted to do.

“I don’t believe you.” She was staring at him incredulously, shaking her head in disappointment. The Brian Kinney **she** knew was never this much of an asshole. The Brian Kinney **she** knew would at least be worried about Justin’s well being. This **couldn’t** be her Brian. She refused to believe it. What had happened to the real him? Where had her dearest friend gone?

“Jesus, Linds,” Brian started, running a frustrated had through his chestnut hair, “You know as well as I do that I was going fucking insane. Dealing with one baby is enough. I don’t have the patience to deal with another one who’s actually able to follow me around everywhere and clings just as much.” He was becoming upset with having to defend himself. He didn’t want her to know how he was feeling, because the truth was, even he wasn’t sure. All he knew was, lying to her about Justin was tearing him up. He didn’t mean what he was saying, he was positive she knew that, but even still…he had to give his best effort to make her think that. He didn’t need outside interference while he tried to figure out his feelings for the blonde boy that had invaded his home and his…well, his heart. 

Neither of them noticed the pair standing near the door. 

Justin had never felt so sick in all his life. It was like someone had punched him in the gut and struck him over the head. He could feel the gentle prickling in his eyes, and his vision was blurring as he blinked desperately, trying to keep his tears at bay. So there it was. The truth had finally come out. Brian really **did** hate him. He was nothing more than excess baggage to the ad exec, and it seemed his only use for the other man had been a quick fuck. The pair in the living room started talking again, but Justin didn’t want to hear anymore. He’d heard enough about how much trouble he was to Brian to last him a lifetime. Moving as silently as he could, the blonde crept upstairs, biting his lips to keep from sobbing until he got to bathroom. Once inside, he sunk to the floor, pulling his knees to his chest and letting all his tears fall. He still bit his lip though, not wanting Brian to hear him and come upstairs. He didn’t need any more remarks from the brunette. All he wanted to do was curl up and cry, forget that anything had happened, and rest in silence.

But downstairs, things were less than quiet. 

When Lindsay had spotted Melanie in the doorway, she knew Justin must have heard their conversations, simply by the look on her partner’s face. She’d never seen the lawyer as enraged as she was now. She grimaced and looked back to Brian, trying to search his eyes for any indication that he had been lying. But the man was a great actor, and she had long since discovered that he could easily hide his emotions from anyone he wanted to. When he cast a questioning look between the two women, Lindsay simply picked up her son and started to rub his back to keep him quiet.

“I think it’s time you left.” Melanie snapped, glaring at Brian and crossing her arms across her chest. 

“What crawled up your ass?” Brian shot back, automatically taking the defensive. He hated it when Mel became domineering. Well…he wasn’t too fond of her in general, but that was beside the point.

“Get out. Now.” Was her only response, before she stiffly pointed at the door, the anger on her face never wavering. She was never going to forgive this selfish prick for what he had done to Justin. **Never**. 

He had to admit, he was probably a master at hiding his emotions. But the shock, anger, and confusion he was feeling right then couldn’t be covered. And all three were fighting to take over. His confusion won out first, and he turned to Lindsay, wondering if his closest friend was going to let her lover talk to him like this. But the blonde refused to look at him, and instead of defending him like she always did, she simply stood back and watched. What the **fuck** was going on? Since when had Lindsay decided not to stand up for him? And when had Melanie gotten to be such a cunt? With confusion still…well, confused, his anger took over. Never a good thing, when it came to Brian Kinney.

“And here I thought lesbians were supposed to be known for their hospitality.” Brian spat with an equal amount of venom, not budging from his spot. He wanted answers, and he wasn’t leaving without them.

“Not when it comes to selfish pricks who don’t give a fuck about anyone but themselves.”

That was it. “Fuck. You.” With a glare that screamed death, Brian pushed past Melanie and opened the door with a violent yank, slamming it on his way out. Fuck answers. He’d be damned if he stayed around to let her talk shit when he hadn’t even done anything to deserve it. Ripping away from the curb with a squeal of his tires, Brian raced back to the loft, cursing all the while and mumbling about lesbians and their abnormally high levels of estrogen. A guy certainly wouldn’t freak out on you for no good reason. Fucking dykes. 

He got upstairs, shoving the loft door open and wanting nothing more than to just fuck his little blonde into the mattress when he remembered that Justin was gone. The loft was still empty. He didn’t know why he’d expected it to be some sort of sick dream, but now that he was actually alone in his loft…he realized how vacant everything seemed. It wasn’t the same with the teenager running rampant through it. It was cold. Unfeeling. 

Cursing himself for being so pathetic, he grabbed a bottle of Jim Bean and proceeded over to the couch, drinking his emotions away. He wanted to forget about his shitty day. No meetings, no Ryder, no Munchers, no empty loft, no Justin. He paused in mid-gulp at that last one. That was the problem wasn’t it? No Justin? Downing the rest of his drink, he made his way over to the bedroom, taking another swig from the bottle before throwing himself onto the bed. He lay still for a couple minutes, just breathing, taking in the peace and quiet.

It didn’t feel right. Nothing was ever quiet when Justin was around. If loud music wasn’t playing, the blonde was banging pots and pans when he cooked. If he wasn’t cooking, he was talking non-stop. If he was talking, he was moaning in pleasure and begging Brian to fuck his brains out. The brunette smirked at that. He loved when Justin begged him to be inside him. Wait. Loved? Shit. Brian Kinney didn’t do love.

Rolling over, he took another swig, lying on his back and staring up at the ceiling, taking in the silence. It was creepy, now that he thought about it. Finding the bottle now empty, he sighed, and let it roll out of his hands onto the floor, next to the bed. No JB, no trick to suck him off, no blonde boy ass to fuck. This was a shitty situation. Brian pulled Justin’s pillow to his body and hugged it, smiling slightly at the fact that it still smelt like the blonde artist. 

Realizing what he was doing, he tossed the pillow off of the bed. God, he was getting fucking pathetic. Like a dyke. He didn’t do romance, or relationships, or love. He’d miss the kid because he’d been a great fuck, but that was it. That was all.

“Jesus,” He muttered to himself, pinching the bridge of his nose before laying his arm across his eyes, “I can’t even fucking lie to myself.” He pulled the duvet up, not bothering to remove his clothes and rolled to his side, getting ready to sleep. It felt awkward, with no one next to him and he grimaced again. The fucking twat hadn’t even been living there that long!

“God, I’m **so** pathetic.”


	3. Home Is Where The Heart Is

It had been a week. One **fucking** week and he still had no idea where Justin was. He had expected the blonde to come running back to him. In fact, he’d actually stayed home the past couple of days, waiting for the teen to show up at the loft. He’s wasted a good number of nights out, and he was starting to get seriously pissed off. Why hadn’t Justin called? The least he could do was tell him where he’d gone. He could have at least told Brian that he was fine. That was really all the ad exec wanted to hear. 

No. That wasn’t true. Brian wanted to know the ‘why’ as well. 

“Deb, can I get some service?” He called impatiently, slamming his briefcase on the stool next to him. His anxiety over the boy’s disappearance was taking a toll on him. All he needed right now was coffee. Some fucking **strong** coffee. 

“Here.” Debbie replied, dropping a mug carelessly in front of him and filling it to the brim with his drink. She smiled a little too sweetly for his liking and snapped her gum, pulling out her pad and waiting expectantly. Raising an eyebrow, he muttered his usual and took a sip of his drink, immediately regretting it and drawing back. “Careful. It’s hot.” The red-haired waitress stated, walking over to turn in his order.

Brian shook his head and sighed. Debbie had been pissed with him ever since she’d found out her little “sunshine” had left. She had refused to talk to him, or, when she did, it was always to tell him what an asshole he was and that he needed to go find Justin before it was too late. For what, he didn’t know. But having someone else tell him he needed to do something, made him not want to do it at all. 

But now, or at least, today, Debbie seemed different. She wasn’t lecturing him, wasn’t shooting him death glares, hell, she was even smiling. He grimaced lightly, realizing she must have heard from Justin. And wasn’t telling him. He rolled his lips into his mouth upon realizing that, biting his tongue in thought. Why wasn’t she telling him? Because she thought he was a shit and wouldn’t care? Realizing he wasn’t going to get any information out of her, he poked at his food, watching her scribble something on the pad before ripping it off and putting it next to him. His bill. She wasn’t even planning on talking to him today. Well then, he’d just take matters into his own hands. 

“So, how’s he doing?” Brian asked, nonchalantly, putting a forkful of eggs in his mouth as he watched her face for a reaction. He smirked when her eyes narrowed and her jaw set. So she **did** know where Justin was.

“That’s none of your fucking business.” 

He quirked an eyebrow at her, placing his tongue in his cheek and smiling. That seemed a little harsh, even for her. To hide his surprise, he kept the grin plastered on his face, showing her he loved getting her all riled-up. “Oh really?”

“Yes, really,” The waitress stated forcefully, moving in front of him, “And if you’ve got any fucking brains at all, you’ll stay the hell away from Sunshine.” She made her point by sticking her finger in his face, making sure she had eye contact with him. There was no way she was going to let this asshole hurt Justin again, even if she was sure Brian was hurting just as much. There was no way she’d let this man, who she considered another son, get near her newest addition unless she was 100% confident that he wanted to make things right. And with Brian, the closest she’d ever gotten was 85%.

“Well, seeing as I don’t know where the fuck he is,” Brian spat angrily, not bothering to finish off his sentence. Fuck this shit. He didn’t need people telling him what to do, how to think, or what to feel. And he didn’t need people constantly reminding him that he was the world’s biggest asshole. All he wanted to do was find out if Justin was alright. Obviously, he’d found someplace to stay, but did that mean he was alright? And who the fuck was he staying with?

Screw it. He wasn’t going to waste the day worrying over a twat that had run out on him. Irritably throwing a couple dollars on the counter, the ad exec grabbed his suitcase and huffed out of the diner, refusing to subject himself to everyone else’s criticism anymore than he already had.

\-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

“No mom, I’m fine, really.” Justin sighed into the phone, rolling his eyes and taking another bite of the cookie Lindsay had just made.

Mouthing, “Be Nice” at the teen, Lindsay picked up her son and carried him into the living room to allow the other blonde a little more privacy. Jennifer had been hesitant about allowing Justin to live with them, but the fact that Justin no longer wanted to see Brian quickly swayed her over. She had to admit, she was a little hurt that Justin had decided against coming home, but knowing he was safe and away from the man she still blamed for everything helped to ease her anxiety.

Justin rolled his eyes again, clicking his tongue in annoyance as he listened to his mother go on and on about nothing in particular. He loved his mother, he really did. But sometimes, she just drove him insane. For a moment, he wondered if maybe this was how Brian had felt when he had been around. His throat constricted tightly and he made a small choking noise at the thought of the ad exec. “Alright, mom. I love you too.” Hanging up, the blonde artist ran a shaky hand through his hair, moving into the living room and plopping down next to Lindsay.

Laughing at Justin’s exasperated sigh, Lindsay patted his knee and set Gus in his lap, standing up again. “Well, what do you want for supper?” She asked, moving into the kitchen again and taking the phone with her. Justin needed a treat, what with everything he’d been through, not to mention spending the week on the couch. She silently thanked God that the renovations of the attic were going so well. And that no more instances with Brian had occurred. The brunette had made sure that he called at least an hour in advance whenever he wanted to come over, though those visits had been short and strained, since his last talk with Melanie. Justin made it a point to be as far away as possible whenever his former-whatever-Brian-was came over. So far, they’d easily diverted all attention from their house serving as Justin’s hide-away.

Suddenly, there was a sharp wrapping to his right, and Justin froze, glancing toward the kitchen and waiting for Lindsay to go see who it was.

“Could you get that, sweetie?” Seeing his bewildered expression, Lindsay smiled softly, kneading the dough sprawled out in front of her. “I promise, it’s not him. He knows he has to call first.” It wasn’t like she wouldn’t answer the door herself…she just felt Justin needed to overcome this. She felt he needed to move on, and conquering this obstacle was the first step.

But even with her assurance, Justin was still hesitant to open the door. 

Kicking himself for being so rude to Lindsay, he picked up a giggling Gus and strode over to the door, quickly drawing a breath, before reaching for the locks and undoing them. As he turned the knob and pulled, he felt his breath catch. Something inside him knew who would be on the other side of that door. And even though that something had been screaming at him, he’d still commanded his arms to remove the barrier that was preventing his eyes their long, coveted pleasure. 

“What the **fuck** are you doing here?”

The brief escalation his body had taken upon spotting the head of chestnut hair fell quickly and the young artist found himself sputtering for an answer that he couldn’t come up with. When no reply was given, Brian grew frustrated and angrily pushed past Justin into the house, noting his son in Justin’s arms and Lindsay coming out from the kitchen, cleaning her hands on an apron. The shocked look on her face was all the confirmation he needed; Lindsay had known about Justin for a long time now. How long, he wasn’t sure, but he was determined to find out.

“Linds, you better tell me what the fuck is going on. Right now.” Brian spat out angrily, his attitude completely changing as he tried to focus on the woman in front of him and not the blonde boy standing awkwardly in the archway. When his father’s voice rose, so did the amount of tears present in Gus’ eyes and he let them flow over, wailing at the top of his lungs. Brian moved over to pick his son up out of Justin’s hold, but the boy just screamed louder and snuggled into the artist’s chest. Flustered more now than ever, Brian huffed indignantly and let out a growl.

“Justin, would you please take Gus upstairs to play? You know how he gets around this time.” 

Nodding once, Justin hastily made his way upstairs, clutching the infant to his chest and shutting the door behind him. He didn’t want to hear them talking. He didn’t want to hear Brian tell Lindsay how he really felt about him. Smiling despite the sniffs, Justin put Gus down and took his hands, sitting down next to the baby and making goofy faces. Maybe, if he kept himself distracted enough, he wouldn’t have a repeat performance of the last time Brian had come over unexpectantly.

**“Explain. Now.”** Brian’s very demeanor left no room for chitchat. He’d never been so pissed off in all his life. He felt like a fool…and one that had been stabbed in the back, multiple times. How many times had he talked to Lindsay about finding Justin? How many times had he asked if she’d heard anything? And now he was to find that she’d been hiding him, right under his very nose. That was totally fucked.

“I don’t think there’s any need to explain anything to you,” Lindsay started, folding her arms across her chest and matching his stare. She saw no reason to feel guilty, and she didn’t feel like she’d done anything wrong. Every time Justin was brought up, Brian made a sarcastic remark, or boldly declared he didn’t care what the “blonde twink was screwing” and after hearing it several times, Lindsay had started to believe it. A part of her still hoped Brian would come to his senses and realize his feelings for Justin…but that hope had been quickly squelched as always, Brian proved to be an asshole. 

“Really? Because the blonde princess upstairs with my son screams otherwise.” Brian shot back, trying to keep his calm with his long-time friend.

“ **Your** son? He’s **our** son, Bri. And this is **my** home. I’ll let whoever I want to stay in it.” Even though she was talking softly, as according to her WASP background, Brian still felt as if she had screamed bloody murder at him. Slightly shaken, the ad exec decided on a different approach, since getting angry wasn’t going to get him anywhere with Lindsay. He smirked, causing her to ruffle.

“So, Daddy Warbucks,” Brian started, his hazel eyes still alight with fire, “How long have you been coddling Annie?” 

“I haven’t been coddling anyone, Brian,” Lindsay replied, angrily untying her apron and tossing it on a chair. How could he make jokes? About someone he obviously cared about? Lindsay didn’t doubt that fact anymore. Seeing the anger in Brian’s eyes only proved her suspicions. He wasn’t angry because Justin was there, per say, he was angry that no one had told him; that no one had reassured him that the boy was safe. “And, if it’s any of your business, he’s been here since you practically forced him out.”

Forced him out? “One, I didn’t force him out. And two, it’s my fucking loft.” It took Brian a few minutes to register what she had just said. “He’s been with you since that night?” How many times had he been over to the Muncher’s house since then? And he hadn’t even noticed?

“Yes,” She stated, nodding, “I tried to tell you the morning after, but your secretary said you weren’t in.” She was still a little bitter about that, but she decided not to comment on it. The shocked look that flit across Brian’s face was enough, even if it only lasted a second.

“Why didn’t you tell me later? When I came over?” The anger was back, stronger than before.

“You were too busy making an asshole of yourself,” Lindsay replied casually, dreading what was to come next. She didn’t want to be the one to tell him…but he had to know. He had to know that he had completely pushed Justin away with his behavior. Maybe…maybe if he knew he might try to change.

“Why didn’t he call? Why didn’t I hear from him?” Brian was beginning to feel tired and frustrated. There it was, the question that had been plaguing him all this time. Well, one of them anyway. He could find out the others later.

“Because you hurt him. Bad.” She said, taking a step closer to Brian to make sure he heard what she was saying. “He heard you…that night. All those things you said. That’s why Mel was so upset. Justin was standing right there when you were saying all those things.” She flinched when she saw him stiffen and pulled back slightly, taking a soft breath.

Brian, on the other hand, was having trouble breathing. He felt like he’d been punched in the gut. All those things…he hadn’t meant any of them. He really hadn’t. But Justin had heard them all…and more than likely believed them. He hadn’t said them to be mean or vicious. He had said them, more to himself; to keep himself from missing Justin; to keep himself from admitting how he really felt. But now…knowing how much he’d hurt the boy, Brian couldn’t deny it anymore.

He **did** care about Justin. 

How far it went, he wasn’t sure and wasn’t ready to recognize. The simple fact that he cared should mean something. He turned from the blonde in front of him, heading towards the stairs when a hand on his arm stopped him.

“He doesn’t want to see you Brian. That’s why you never heard about him. He made us promise not to tell you. You really hurt him.” 

There was a searing pain in his chest. He wouldn’t say heart, because that would just be admitting too much, but his chest felt like it was on fire. He glanced at the door, then at the stairs, wondering what to do. This was bullshit. He was Brian-fucking-Kinney. He didn’t need to question himself. With this thought firmly in place, he shrugged off Lindsay’s hand and marched up the steps, the flustered woman following closely behind him. Hearing the voices coming from Gus’s room, the brunette pushed in roughly, a little taken aback by the quaint scene before him, but recovering quickly. Brian walked over, plucked Gus up from the floor, despite protests from both boys, and took him over to Lindsay, trying to ignore the apologetic looks she was shooting at Justin.

“Here,” He said, handing his son over, “Take Sonnyboy out while I have a little chat with Sunshine.” He couldn’t help the grin that was tugging at the corners of his lips at Justin’s horrified expression. Or the ache that was walking hand-in-hand with it. Damn this stupid twat and all the crap he was putting Brian through. And fuck himself for causing Justin to do it in the first place.

“Brian--” Justin started, retreating further back in the room, only to be stopped by the click of a lock. Was Brian locking him in? He was starting to feel claustrophobic; confined; caged. He needed out and he needed out now. The artist didn’t want to be in such close quarters with Brian when the older man lashed out. He didn’t think he could take another verbal lashing. 

“Alright, Sunshine,” Brian smiled at the nickname lightly, crossing his arms across his chest and leaning against the door, “It’s time you and I had a little talk.”


	4. Home Is Where The Heart Is

Justin was watching him expectantly, though with a little fear. But…now that he actually had his boy in a room, he didn’t know what he actually wanted to say. The mere fact that he though of Justin as _his_ startled him. He could admit that he cared about the blonde. Not verbally, mind you, but still, it was a start. Clearing his throat, Brian shifted his weigh, the “fuck-everything” mask slipping into place. Justin’s gaze was still fixed on him; piecing him, and he found his couldn’t keep his hazel eyes locked with those pools of ocean blue. 

“Where the fuck did you go?” Brian asked finally, a little harsher than he’d meant. But damnit, he’d waited and even fucking worried **all** week so he felt entitled to be a little pissed.

“Here, obviously.” Justin replied, keeping his own air of indifference. Brian didn’t want to look him in the eye; treat him like a man? Brian wanted to be pissed? **Fine**. Then so would Justin. Even if he was feeling like he’d been caged with a tiger. 

“Don’t be a smart-ass,” The ad exec snapped, narrowing his eyes before softening a bit to continue, “why didn’t you call?” He grimaced when the blonde artist gaped at him, urging himself not to react outwardly any more than he already had.

“Should I list the reasons?” Justin spat, anger painting across his face. Brian waited anxiously. With no opposition, the teen shot off, releasing all the built up anger and hurt he was feeling, and prepared to shove it all down Brian’s overly sexy throat. “One, you were pre-occupied. Two, I didn’t think there was a reason to call you since I was giving you what you wanted. Three, I doubt you would have answered-“ 

“Wait a second,” Brian interrupted, not concealing his surprise, “what do you mean, ‘what I want’?” The older man had to scowl slightly, realizing that, had Justin actually tried to call him that night, he probably **would** have ignored it. It scared him a little that this teenager already knew him so well. 

“I think that should be most obvious.” Another scowl. Justin sighed and lowered his voice, keeping his eyes on the hazel ones in front of him. “Me. Gone. Out of your life, for good.” I hurt a lot more when he said it outloud than when he thought about it. He’d always known that that was what Brian had wanted from the very beginning. But…to actually hear himself acknowledge that fact, make it outwardly known…well, that just added another crack to his already crumbling heart.

Brian wasn’t fairing much better. He felt like he’d just been hit with a twenty-pound bag of E. Everything was getting a little hazy. Did Justin really think that? Or better yet, had he really done anything to make the blonde think otherwise? As much as he wanted to admit that he felt completely opposite of what Justin was assuming, he couldn’t. Confessing he felt _anything_ for the boy would probably cause him to pass out and fall into a coma. In light of this, he decided to play it safe and stick with the “fuck-it-all” attitude. “Well, not that we’ve firmly established my secret desire,” He kicked himself mentally at the pained expression running rampant in Justin’s eyes, “Let’s get one thing straight: you’re not staying here.” 

“What? But, why?” Justin cried, beginning to shake, “It’s not like you and I ever really see each other. I’ve been here the entire time and you just now noticed me. We could just keep avoiding each other!” He couldn’t believe this was happening. This was turning into the worst day of his life. Not only had Brian found out his safe haven, but he was now being told that he could no longer stay there. God, this wasn’t fair. 

“No.” It was firm, with an “end-of-conversation” tone to it, but Brian knew Justin better than that; knew better than to expect the kid to quit. It was one of the things he found charming about him. And for some reason, the very idea that Justin didn’t want to see him anymore made Brian feel a little more sick than he had. 

He’d promised himself he wouldn’t cry; told himself he would not allow Brian Kinney the pleasure of seeing him break-down over him. A tear slipped down his cheek. **Fuck**. He’d gone and broken his own fucking promise. “I don’t see the problem,” He sniffed and angrily brushed at his eyes, “You’re just going to kick me out on the street? With no place to go? Even though I’m not even bothering you anymore?” He hiccupped and looked everywhere but at the man in front of him. 

There was a pang in his chest again and he watched the tears roll gently down the porcelain skin, his fingers aching to touch, to caress the cheek the fell upon. Shit. He hadn’t meant to make the boy cry. That was the last thing he’d planned on doing. “No,” Brian started, but stopped as Justin’s sobs grew a little louder, even as the teen tried to stop them. Hazel took a hesitant step forward toward sapphire. “You’ll just come back to the loft and we’ll work out a less annoying situation.” He didn’t mean that. Justin wasn’t annoying. But he didn’t want to the blonde to know the depths of his feelings before he had a chance to figure them out. And there was no way in hell that he’d let his reputation as King of Liberty Avenue be tarnished by Queens gossiping that he’d finally “settle down”. 

“Go back…?” Justin whispered in surprise, blinking to try and clear his vision. To the Loft? He couldn’t help but glare at the man of his dreams. How could he be so fucking insensitive? So cruel? The Loft was the last place Justin wanted to be. He didn’t need to be constantly reminded that he meant nothing to Brian; that he was only there because the ad exec had felt responsible for his situation at home; that it was Brian’s way of getting back at homophobes everywhere by using Justin’s dad. He didn’t need to be constantly shown that Brian could have anyone he wanted, and more often than not, it wasn’t him; to feel like an easy fuck on the side; to know that he was in a one-sided love. He was tired of feeling used. He was livid again, and this was only intensified by the extreme amount of hurt that Brian had just placed upon his heart. 

“ **No**.”

“What?” Brian blinked in surprise.

“In fact, **fuck no**.” Brian’s mouth dropped open in surprise and Justin couldn’t help but smirk. Good. It was about time he got the one-up on Brian-fucking-Kinney. His small victory spurred him on and he glanced at the door briefly, before summing up his courage. He wouldn’t be afraid of this man anymore; wouldn’t cry over him or spend nights dreaming about him and how he wished he would be. He wouldn’t waste his time dreaming of a love that was never to come. “Until Lindsay and Mel say otherwise, I’m staying here, and not you, or anyone else has any say in the matter,” He mentally hoped he wasn’t crossing the line with his two surrogate sisters, “So you might as well drop the middle-school bully routine. It’s not too late. You can still go out to the clubs in search of the one Waldo you haven’t fucked yet.” 

Ouch. Now that stung. Almost as much as the pain and anger that those startling, ice blue eyes were conveying upon him now. He hadn’t realized he’d hurt Justin so much…and he hadn’t even considered that the boy would say no. And now he didn’t even know what to feel: angry or saddened. Maybe he could be both. No one he really cared about had ever actually spoken to him that way before. It was a little unnerving. He felt like he’d been punched down a couple pegs. And by a fucking seventeen-year old of all things. Fuck it. This shit wasn’t worth it. 

He gave a bemused smile, unsure of how to react before reaching behind him and roughly unlocking the door, never removing his eyes from Justin’s. “You know what, Sunshine? I think I’ll do just that. After all, it’s what you expect, hell, it’s what everyone expects. Far be it for me to let you all down.” Yanking the door open, he pushed passed a startled Lindsay and stormed down the stairs, slamming the front door so hard it bounced back open. Next destination: Babylon. 

Upstairs, Justin sank to his knees, releasing all the tension, fear, and grief that had been locked up. He remotely registered Lindsay kneeling next to him, rubbing his back gently, squeezing his shoulder. But all he could register was all the hurtful things he had said to Brian, and they only caused him to cry more. He’d pushed Brian over the edge and now he was paying the price. His hazel-eyed lover was going off to his kingdom to find a willing partner…leaving Justin behind once more. The very thought made him feel sick.

\-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 

It was a few weeks after that incident that the renovations for the attic had finally been complete. Justin finally had a place of his own to call home. Lindsay and Melanie had helped him decorate it and get it ready to live in. Emmett had been over a few times to help him “warm it in”, as had Daphne.

The one person he’d actually wanted to celebrate with was never around. 

It was about a week after he’d cried his eyes out that maybe, just maybe, Brian had been trying to make an inconspicuous apology. That maybe, his whole idea about Justin moving back into the loft was based on the ad exec’s own desire to have him there. But Justin had let his drama antics win out instead of his logic and he’d overreacted. He hadn’t analyzed Brian’s demeanor or his actions before reacting, and that was what had cost him. Just when he had finally started to figure Brian out, he’d been thrown a curve ball and swung blindly. 

Brian was avoiding him. 

Emmett said he’d been tricking more than usual, drinking like a fish, and snorting everything that even remotely resembled pixie dust. Not to mention still going to work full-time as a senior associate at his firm. 

“I don’t know how he does it,” The Queen had stated dramatically, “I stay out just as long as him and need three hours to look this fabulous. He drinks, fucks, and snorts the night away and he can roll out of bed looking like sex-incarnate.” 

That had made Justin worry that Brian wasn’t keeping his health up. If he became exhausted, he could seriously hurt himself. Not to mention all the risks he was taking with the booze and the drugs. 

But Michael was glad to “assure” him that it wasn’t “any of his fucking business” and that “he would look after Brian’s well-being.” It was grounding to know that Michael still held the same deluded fantasies that he’d had when Justin was living with Brian. The two never really spoke anymore, not that the aspiring artist really minded. 

Around the same time that the attic was finished being renovated, his father cut off his allowance, saying Justin needed to grow and get a job “like a real man”. The blonde found it ironically amusing that his father was still trying to mold him into his idea of what a real man was. But he did as he was told, and started looking for a job. He needed the money to support himself and to help pay for expenses at the Peterson-Marcus household. His grand opportunity arrived one day at the dinner when he was waiting for Emmett. 

“Whatcha’ got there, Sunshine?” Debbie asked, snapping her gum with a smile. It was good to see Justin doing so much better than he had been. She silently thanked God for making the girls so nice and sympathetic. If they hadn’t taken him in, she certainly would have. Justin was like a son to her, for fuck’s sake!

“Just some employment ads.” He shrugged and turned the page. “I need to get a job. Problem is, I have no transportation.” She chuckled at him and took the paper between her hands, glancing over what he’d circled in red marker before folding it up and putting it a few feet out of his reach.

“No need to look, kiddo. I got you a job.” The Sunshine smile was all worth it. The excitement was also a little bonus for her motherly demeanor. 

“Really? Where?”

“Here, of course. You can start as a busboy and work your way up.” 

Justin’s face fell and he lowered his head, immediately catching Deb’s attention. When she questioned him, he regretfully shook his head and tried to keep his eyes off of her. Grabbing his chin firmly, she turned his face so their eyes were meeting and suddenly, she understood. She smiled, pouting her lips slightly before removing her hand and brushing some stray strands of hair out of his eyes.

“I’ll work you around his schedule.” Again, the Sunshine smile. “You just make sure you get here on time.” 

So here he was, bussing tables and collecting tips, most of which were thanks to his “bubble-butt” as Deb so affectionately referred to it. His logic was, if Brian didn’t want to see him, then that was for the best. He’d already caused the elder man too much trouble as it was. 

He was moving around the counter when the bell to the door rang, signaling the arrival of a new customer. He didn’t look up, but just kept wiping down the bar, humming softly to himself with a little smile. He was dimly aware of the customer sitting down on the stool next to him, but paid him no mind. Deb would certainly get to him. The sweet smell of spice invaded his nose and he froze, recognizing that fragrance instantly. But that had to be wrong. He didn’t come in at this time.

“Debbie, can I get some fucking service? I’m starved.” 

Justine turned only to be met with the penetrating hazel gaze of Brian Kinney. The elder man was smirking a bit, at Justin’s almost shocked expression, but decided not to say anything about it. When his meeting with his client had ended early, Brian decided to take a little “me” day and left work for the rest of the day. He didn’t usually come to the diner around now, but Michael had whined to him before about how Justin was working there now. And judging from all the mornings and nights Brian had been in, it seemed Justin had created his schedule to directly evade his. 

Well, that just wasn’t right. 

Sure, Brian had been pissed; still was a little. But not seeing Justin for almost two weeks was taking its toll on the ad exec. His nights were plagued with dreams of the teen. During the day he couldn’t concentrate. Even his sex-life was starting to take on Justin’s image. He couldn’t help it. As much as he’d tried to get the blonde twink out of his system, he just couldn’t do it. He found that annoying, but at the same time intriguing. And it scared the shit out of him. But Justin just had that effect. 

On all parts of his anatomy. 

“What’s the matter, Sunshine?” He asked, cocking an eyebrow. “You look like you’ve just seen a ghost.”


End file.
